Lost and Found pt10
by auldtimer
Summary: Spending too much time reading all your excellent stories instead of writing! Nearly finished though!


**Lost and Found pt10**

Chris frowned as she studied the file Hoyt had given her earlier, she re-read the document again before typing up a request on Baby. "Will!" she called out tentatively a few moments later, "I think I may have something!"

Will, who was sat by the bar, glanced up from the file he had been reading. "Really?"

"Yeah, come here, check this for me, I wanna be sure before I show Hoyt and Roy"

He sighed and walked over, flopping down on the couch next to her and looking up at the screen. "Bill Mason? Do I know him?"

Chris shook her head. "Not exactly. He is a police officer, works for Hoyt, but he was military before that…worked in bomb disposal"

"And that's significant?"

"Uh huh...he was at CJs house when it blew up, one of the cops Hoyt put on detail...in fact he was the one who did the sweep of CJs house before..."

"It blew up!" Will sat forward and read more of the display" You think he set the bomb?" He glanced at Chris who nodded slightly. "What put you on to him?"

Chris hit a few keys and pointed. "Mason was military but got a dishonourable discharge, records are sealed but I managed to do a spot of hacking, found out he was involved in some sort of incident in Hong Kong, several civilians dead and a lot of red faces but no prosecutions. Mason came home and went into the police force, spent a few years working in uniform then suddenly promoted to detective were he worked Vice and then moved to the DEA, drugs!"

"Not enough to point fingers though Chris" Will said slowly, "could just be he is a good cop!"

"Agreed, and that's why I didn't look to closely at him first time round…but look" Chris handed him some of the papers from the file she had been reading, "His first partner was Harry Carter, when Carter went down for stealing drugs from Soo Chin he caused that particular drug lord to lose a lot of money.."

"Which means he lost a lot of power in the circles he moves in right?" Will asked nodding his head as he scanned the papers Chris had passed him. "Ooh hoo, and it gets better, the bomb in Hong Kong just happened to have taken out Soo Chins rival…back in the day when he still had some power!"

Chris clicked more keys "Exactly, and look.." Will looked up as the screen changed, "in Vice he had dealings with _St Nick_ himself..Judge Nicholas Whitewood"

"So you're saying my boy is in the pocket of some powerful players?" Chris turned around and looked at Hoyt as the police officer crossed the room towards them, his face tense

Chris nodded slightly. "Looks that way, sorry Hoyt!"

Hoyt took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Me to, but glad we found him..God, I asked him to run an errand for me…Chris can you check for me, when he was in Vice or the Drugs Agency, did he have anything to do with surveillance?"

"I can answer that!" Will piped up as he waved a form in their direction, "was just reading that..he used to go in and plant listening devices or tracking devices..his speciality in fact..guess he was good at wiring..how did you know?"

"Yeah how did you know?" Roy asked as he came out of CJs office to join them

"Because, oh God.." Hoyt rubbed his temple with one hand and placed the other firmly on his hip, "Because I asked Mason to run an errand for me..one that Houston had asked me to do but I was so excited about getting CJ back, and the surprise party that I asked Mason to go .."

"Hoyt!" Roy said sharply

Hoyt sighed before looking at Roy. "Houston asked me to collect CJs ring, her engagement ring..I was so proud he would ask me but I wanted a new shirt for my suit and I knew my wife would want a new dress, and.."

"You asked Mason.." Will said softly

"I asked Mason, yeah. He was late dropping it off at my house, blamed traffic! Worse still, he knew Jane Doe wasn't CJ…and he knew it was Scotland they were heading to…G'ah, he was one of my most trusted, he's my right hand man!" Hoyt muttered, looking down at the floor, both hands on his hips

Roy walked over and put his hand on his shoulder. "You couldn't have known, it's not your fault"

Hoyt looked and stared at Roy for a few seconds. "Houston trusted me Roy, I let him down!"

"No son, you didn't...you didn't ok...don't think like that, I won't hear it ... no blame here...just with Mason...and now because of Chris, and your files...well, we got the first solid lead!" He stopped as the phone started ringing and crossed over to the bar to answer it. Chris stood up and walked to Hoyt to kiss his cheek before following Roy to the bar to get some more coffee.

"Roy Houston!" Roy said as he picked the phone up. "Matlock! How's things? They found you? Oh no"

Chris had looked up as she had heard Matts name, she watched as Roy frowned and rubbed at his temple, and stepped nearer, resting her hand on his arm and looking at him on concern

"How is she?" Roy asked quietly, nodding at the reply, "uh huh, ok. And Nick?" Again Roy nodded, by now Will and Hoyt had come to stand by him. "Son, we know how they found you...CJs engagement ring" Roy paused before adding, "Yup, tracking device. And we know who put it there..Mason. Listen Matt...think it should be safe to go back to where you were, best I can guess is the device will show them roughly where you are but wouldn't be powerful enough to give an exact location, and you're the only one who knows that..Mason doesn't know we're on to him so you still have some advantages" Roy listened then grabbed a pen and paper, he scribbled some things down and nodded, "Ok, I'll ring now and sort that. What name are you using this time...Barnes? Ok…got it...And Matt...give CJ a hug for me ok?" Roy sighed and turned to look at the other three, jumping slightly as he had not realised how closely they had gathered round him. He smiled and said, "We got work to do people…chop chop!"

Houston sighed deeply as he hung up the phone. He thanked the nurse and walked back to the waiting room, stopping to buy coffees from the machine on his way. He edged open the door and smiled, holding out the plastic cup, and gently kissing the top of CJs head before sitting down next to her. "Spoken to Roy" he told her, "they have had a breakthrough..'fraid it means I may have to post your ring back home!"

CJ raised her eyebrows a fraction, glanced down at her left hand before looking at Houston. "Say what?"

"Your ring, my darling," he said softly reaching over to twist it gently on her finger, "has a tracking device in it…it's how they found us!"

CJ gasped and clasped her hand over his. "How?"

"Detective Mason...Hoyts man!"

"Oh" she muttered sadly "Poor Hoyt!"

Houston smiled and hugged her. "He'll survive..and so will you! Roy suggests we go to the Post Office first thing in the morning and post the ring back to LA. We'll move on to another safe place, and this time they will have no way of finding us! We'll be safe"

"For a while"

"All the time we need CJ, Roy is gonna get to the bottom of this..Hoyt is there to..and Chris..and Will..they're all pulling together, they are gonna get us out of this CJ"

CJ nodded and sniffed slightly. "Before any one else gets hurt?"

Houston put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him. "Carol is going to be ok baby, they told you that.."

"And the people killed on the plane Houston? What about them..the people hurt…"

"The people you saved!"

CJ gave a soft laugh. "If I hadn't been on the plane they wouldn't have needed saving!" Suddenly CJ winced and put her hand to her side and gasped, holding her breath as she pressed her hand tighter

Houston looked at her, concern etched on his face. "Honey?"

She smiled at his concern as she slowly let out her breath and relaxed. "Just a twinge Houston, Carol said I would get them"

Houston nodded. "That's why she brought a new prescription for you"

CJ nodded. "Might have known you wouldn't miss that cowboy!" she said with a soft chuckle

He gave a slow grin and decided to mention his other discovery. "Not the only prescription she brought huh?"

He noticed her eyes scrunch slightly at the corner, she tried to hide her reaction by smiling quickly before she said "Oh yeah, the antibiotics..she thinks it safer to make sure the infection is really clear, being in the jungle could have caused all sorts of hidden problems!"

"Uh huh," he nodded and pursed his lips a fraction. "Them to...plus, the other prescription!"

This time CJ didn't try to disguise her reaction, with eyes narrowing, she turned to face him. He grinned broadly, sitting back in his seat, enjoying the emotions that played across her face. Surprise, shock, embarrassment, shock again..then suddenly anger. "You went snooping!"

Houston held his hands up quickly "Aw CJ, the drawer was open, c'mon! I just glanced down quickly, s'all!"

"Quickly enough to see what they were!"

He nodded, and added "And to see that Carol had prescribed them, and the date! Don't recall seeing them before..even though I had spotted your other tablets!"

Again CJ looked mortified. "I left the house so quickly Houston...and the jungle...and the bomb and I don't know...I...I" She stopped as she heard him chuckle, looking sideways at him before asking "What's so funny?"

"We are CJ" he said between chuckles. "I mean it is so typical of US! We have wasted so much time trying to dodge the fact we love each other...and now when we finally find each other...and can look forward to spending the rest of our lives making up for lost time..we get engaged within a week of declaring our undying love, someone is trying to kill you…and there is a chance we could end up parents..a souvenir of our pretend honeymoon…it's just perfect!"

"A SLIGHT chance we could be parents Houston! And perfect is hardly the word I would use!" CJ muttered as she crossed her arms across her chest before relaxing back into his embrace and grinning.."But you're right.. it is typically us!" She looked up as the door opened and a tired looking Nick walked in, smiling at them as he glanced over. "How is she?" CJ asked quickly, leaping to her feet to hug him

Nick smiled at her as he kissed her cheek and patted her shoulder. "She's fine CJ, surgery was routine, the bullet was through and through but didn't hit any major arteries, minimal damage...went through the fleshy part if her shoulder so not even muscle damage...one lucky lady! She will be in a lot of pain for a little while, and it will bruise around the wound site itself...a lot of swelling to so they will keep her in to monitor that..just in case..watch out for embolisms or clots..but she is healthy so a very slim chance of that!"

Houston sighed deeply and stood to pat Nicks shoulder, smiling at his friend and silently offering him support. "Can we see her?" He asked, knowing how anxious CJ was.

Nick glanced at CJ and nodded "Just CJ though, sorry..one at a time! Carol wants to see her though, that's why I came back, was ordered to bring CJ through for an audience with Lady Carol!" CJ grinned and nodded, and Houston reached over to slightly rub her back. "Houston meanwhile, is very kindly gonna take me for a decent coffee whilst you keep Carol entertained. Right pal?"

"Right!" Houston nodded, trying his best to look serious

The three of them walked out of the room, the two men leaving CJ as she stepped in to the side room that Carol had been put in after coming out of recovery. Cautiously she peered around the door, anxious not to wake her friend, but her eyes lit up and she smiled brightly as she saw her friend was wide awake and sitting up waiting for her.

Carol reached out with her good hand and waited for CJ to grasp it before saying with a wry grin. "Hey pal of mine! Next time I say I envy you your exciting lifestyle..remind me of this ok?"

"Oh absolutely!" CJ nodded decisively.."absolutely!"

Nick and Houston were sat in the coffee lounge. Nick grimaced as he took a long sip and said "Not much better than the machine!"

Houston agreed. "So, how you holdin' up?"

"How do you do it man? How have you managed to stay calm when CJ has been hurt? Carol told me last night CJ has been shot three times...then the plane...I've seen Carol hurt once and I went to pieces back there!"

Houston studied him over the rim of his coffee cup, took a slow sip before putting the cup down and straightening in his seat. "I tell ya..I would rather be shot myself than see CJ get hurt...felt every bit of her pain...felt as if my whole life was hanging in the balance right beside her...knowing there was nuthin I could do...drove me a little crazy. But I always had faith in her...knew she was a fighter...just like Carol ya know!"

Nick grinned. "She is a fighter isn't she? I'm, well...I'm just glad she wasn't hurt that badly though..! And before you say anything...I know this wasn't your fault, and even with what's happened Carol and I would still do everything we can to help you..WILL do anything we can!"

"Thanks pal!"

"So...what are you and CJ gonna do now?"

Houston looked up at him and chewed the inside of his lip. "We gotta move on…but we know how they found us, so we have an advantage. I'll take CJ back over to the Island in the morning, pick up our stuff, then change the car again and be on our way"

"You know where you're heading?"

"Uh huh..but it may be safer not to tell you, for your own good!"

Nick nodded then looked directly at Houston. "Carol put our mobile numbers on the phone she gave you this morning...we are gonna stay here in the UK, as long as you two are here, we're here..you need us...you call...we're there...you got that..we're there! We gotcha back"

Houston gave a soft laugh and a quick nod. He mouthed thank you and took another sip of coffee, grimacing as he said"You're right...not much better than the machine!"

Hoyt walked into the precinct and made his way to his office. He saw Mason was sitting at his desk and took two steadying breaths mentally telling himself to play cool, play the advantage. He nodded as Mason looked up and saw him. "Hey boss" he called out, Hoyt carried on walking, sighing as he sat down at his desk. As if on cue Mason walked in. "You look tired, " he said, "long night? Getcha a coffee?" Hoyt nodded and muttered his thanks

Putting the coffee mug down on his boss's desk Mason sat down on the chair opposite. "So, what were you working on that kept you up all night?"

Hoyt laughed. "What else...CJ and Houston!"

"Any luck?"

Yeah thought Hoyt but I'm not telling you, instead he sighed deeply and shook his head. "We just kept going round in circles. Can't catch a break. Top that Houston called. They found them!"

Mason narrowed his eyes and looked at him more closely "They did? How? Only Houston knows where they are...I mean...even you don't know do you?"

"Well I didn't, but I do now! No idea how they were found, but Houston knows it's not safe on their own now so they're coming home, we are gonna have to sort out protection for them!"

Mason thought for a few seconds then asked. "When, when are they due home...and how are they travelling...I mean is it safe?"

"Flying, and yeah it's safe...Houston has got him and CJ into protective custody, police protection, they will be flying home tomorrow night I think…he is gonna ring and confirm when they are on the way, then I will pick them up and drop them at a safe place, haven't got long to sort that out, and don't want to many people to know!"

"I'll help, anyway I can...you can rely on me!" Mason stood up, and he ran his hand through his hair

Hoyt gave a slight grin and nodded, his eyes betraying nothing as he calmly said. "Hope so Bill. Really hope so!"

Ten minutes later and having watched Bill Mason head straight to his phone after leaving his bosses office, Hoyt was on the phone to Roy. "It's on!" was all he said. Roy nodded and hung up, immediately he picked the phone again up and dialled out, the plan was up and running but the clock was also ticking down, they would only get one shot at it, and for Houston and CJs sake it had to go their way

Hoyt stood and went to leave, glancing over his shoulder as the phone on his desk rang. He was tempted to leave it, he had things to do, but his sense of duty made him reach out and answer it. "Hoyt!" he barked, taking in a sharp breath as the voice at the other end told him news he had not wanted to hear, yet had been fully expecting

Will picked up the phone this time, calling in Chris and his dad when Hoyt said he had important news. "It's Robert Tyler" Hoyt told them over the speaker, "He's in the prison hospital, he has been stabbed. They aren't going to move him yet, he wouldn't make it!"

"Do they know who did it?" Roy asked quietly

There was a pause "Duval" was the simple reply

Roy nodded. He had expected the answer, seemed he was the only one except Hoyt who wasn't shocked. "Let me guess, they're moving Duval to another place, question him about what's happened?" When he was met with silence Roy whispered. "They're making their move, sooner than I thought!"

"Day after tomorrow, secure unit in Nevada, flying him there, papers are being completed as we speak. And I have told Mason that CJ and Houston are on their way home…called in a few favours to help us out along the way. So. Are we ready?" Hoyt asked

"We'd better be!" was all Roy could manage, "we'd just better be!"

Houston put his arms around CJs shoulder as they stood on the top deck of the Ferry heading back to the Isle of Bute. They had spent the night at a hotel in Glasgow, keeping Nick company after he had finally left Carol and had headed to the bar to have several nightcaps to calm his nerves. As soon as breakfast had finished Houston had run across to the nearby post office, and had sent CJs carefully wrapped engagement ring on its journey back to LA. Whilst he had done that, CJ and Nick had hit the shops, buying some fresh clothes for Nick and Carol as they were staying in Glasgow for a couple more days following Carols discharge from hospital later that day, CJ and Houston would make sure everything in their cabin was safe before they themselves set off to their new safe location, but for now the two of them stood wrapped in each others arms, leaning slightly on the rails, drinking in the view and putting their fears on hold for just a little while. As they approached Port they strolled hand in hand back to their car, Houston knew CJ was tired when she immediately walked to the passenger side and allowed Houston to drive without any argument. He smiled as he carefully drove off the Ferry and headed back across the Island, his eyes scanning every side road or hidden alcove that could hide danger, he glanced to his left and surprised to notice CJ was dozing, he chewed his inside lip thoughtfully, his eyes crinkling as he thought about the journey they had made the day before.

_Houston loved riding a fraction behind CJ, he admired her riding form, he admired her whole technique…and let's face it, he admired her butt! He was smirking to himself as he watched CJ and Carol racing slightly ahead of him and Nick, he had glanced across at Nick, his own smile growing wider as he saw the look of adoration etched on his friends face as he admired his own fiancé, the sound had come to Houstons right, a pop sound that got louder a second later, a sound Houston recognised as a gunshot. Nick had cried out "No!" and Houston had jolted to attention, his head whipping forward in time to see Carol go crashing to the floor. CJ had immediately wheeled her horse back and jumped down as she drew level with her stricken friend, she had reached up to grab the reigns on Nicks horse as he struggled to control it, holding the horse firmly as he had jumped down to comfort and treat Carol. Houston had brought his own horse to a stand still in front of the other three hoping to offer protection, his eyes scanned the horizon hoping to see where the danger lay, but he saw nothing other then the farmer racing across the sand towards them on his Quad-Bike. The ruddy cheeked Scot brought his bike to a sand spraying halt and quickly climbed off. "I heard a noise!" he gasped, "Saw the lady fall, is she alright?"_

"_She's been shot!" Nick told him without looking up, he was pressing down on Carols shoulder, but the farmer could see the red stain spreading_

"_Aye then, she'll need the chopper!" he nodded then reached down to pick a mobile phone off his bike. The others listened as he called in the emergency and directed them to where the helicopter would need to land. "They can take the lady and her chappie" he told them, "if you two want to be on your way now they'll be taking her to Glasgow Infirmary, if yee go now yee'll catch the next Ferry…means you will get there just a wee hour or so after your friend gets there"_

_CJ had looked at Carol who had softly chuckled and nodded. "Go on pal, Nick is looking after me, be good to know you'll be there for me later!" So CJ and Houston had mounted up their horses, grabbed Nick and Carols errant mounts, and raced back to the farm. Dropping the horses off they had run back to the cabin, grabbed their wallets, jackets and car keys and headed to the Ferry, catching it with seconds to spare. They had grabbed a coffee on the trip across but neither had been in the mood to enjoy the scenery, preferring instead to stay in their car and hold hands offering silent comfort to each other. They had arrived at the hospital 45 minutes after the chopper, Carol had been referred to surgery but by then they already knew it wasn't serious, but CJ had still been shaken and wasn't budging until she had seen Carol for herself._

"Houston! The turn off!"

"Hmm? Oh!" Houston quickly swung the car down the narrow lane and looked sheepishly over to CJ. "Thought you were asleep!" he smirked

She shot him a sideways glance. "Good job I wasn't, otherwise we'd be swimming home!"

"Sorry!"

"Mind elsewhere huh?" CJ watched as Houston nodded, "Mine to" she said softly, glancing down at her now bare left hand.

Houston was watching her from the corner of his eye and immediately he reached over to rest his hand on hers. "Just a temporary thing honey, and it's just a ring..important thing is we have each other"

CJ smiled as she put her hand to cover his, but she remained silent for the rest of the journey, her face turned away from him, her mind a million miles away. They pulled up outside the cabin, and CJ waited as Houston walked around the car to wrap his arm around her waist and walk back inside with him. Together they packed their suitcases and parcels, including the good that Carol and Nick had brought for them earlier, they loaded them into Carol and Nicks car, then with Houston driving their and CJ driving Nicks, the two of them drove back to the Ferry and headed back to the main land. CJ carried on to the hotel they had stayed at the night before whilst Houston drove to the hire company and dropped off one car, before taking a cab across town to collect the next car from the company Roy had rung first thing that morning. He drove the new car back to the hotel to collect CJ and their luggage before heading out of Glasgow and out on to the open road.

Roy was standing on the sun terrace deep in thought. He turned as he heard the elevator bell. He watched as Chris and Nick walked towards him, followed by a small group of men and women. "What's going on?" he asked tilting his head a fraction, his eyes widening as another group of men appeared from the staircase.

Will grinned as he stepped towards his dad. "You said we needed all the help we could get. Seems there are a lot of people close to hand more than willing to step up!"

Roys eyebrows shot up as he glanced around the room, widening still more as the elevator pinged again and Hoyt stepped out with yet more people, amongst them faces that Roy recognised..Officer Delgado who had swapped places with CJ in the ambulance, Lance Wilsden, the officer who had been on duty with Mason the night the house blew up…several of the uniformed officer that Houston had struck a friendship up with over the years. Before Roy could speak the elevator pinged again, this time Novelli stepped out, a group of faces following him that Roy recognised from Houstons ranch. "What the?" he muttered in shock.

A tall man stood behind Will suddenly stepped forward. "Mr Houston sir, we're here for Miss Parsons and Mr Houston. We all know they are in trouble, and we have been desperate to help…I know Will from the Vets Centre that CJ sent me to, a few of us are from there sir..! When Will came to us last night and said you needed some people to support a plan you have, well…here we are Mt Houston sir, your own army!"

"The Vets Centre" Roy said

The man grinned. "Yes sir. You see...Miss Parsons does pro bono work, she was assigned as my defence lawyer a couple of years back after I went on a drinking spree again and trashed a bar. She was the first one to ask me why, seemed to be interested in me...so I told her. I'm a war vet, caught a bullet in my back and got invalided out...back got better, sort of, enough that I could stand...but I had nightmares and the pain that came with them was as bas as ever..so I drank..a lot! Lost several jobs, lost my wife, lost my kids...lost everything. Miss Parsons didn't just get me into rehab, she got me counselling at the Vets Centre...

"A Vet Centre that CJ and Houston help to fund I may add!" Will chipped in

The man nodded before continuing.."But more than that help she got me a job...right here at Houston Inc..she persuaded the boss that a company like this should have its own messenger service...I worked logistics..so I got the job of setting it up..now I run it!"

Roy grinned. "You're Dave!"

"That's me sir, reporting for duty!"

Hoyt came to stand next to Roy. "The boys and girls from the force here have all been asking me quietly if they could help. I know I made a mistake with Mason..but each of these men and woman know CJ and Matt as friends..they're the good guys Roy, and with their help..we could win!"

Roy blinked quickly as he struggled for control. "You know this could be dangerous? Duval may be in prison but his family are out there and they have some fire power… "

"Do you think Houston or CJ would run from danger if they thought they could help one of us?" One of the Vets asked, with the other murmuring in agreement

"Face it Roy" Novelli said with a grin as he came to stand on the other side of him. "your nephew and his girl sure make their mark on people! So, boss..when do we get started? "

Glancing around them all Roy nodded before whispering "Thank you, thank you all"

"I have a list of skills these folk have brought with them!" Chris said as she pushed her way forward. "We have three helicopter pilots, four explosive experts, five former marines and all the goes with that! Uhm, we have two intelligence officers and two military police, and three snipers. From the LAPD we have four snipers and five undercover specialists…"

"Woah, woah Chris…sounds like an amazing shopping list!" Roy said with a grin.."So how about we all try to find somewhere to sit down and I'll show you two of Duvals possible attempts..and two of my counter moves…maybe with putting all our heads together we can well and truly get every possibility covered!"

He watched as everyone smiled at each other and milled around as they found various different places to perch themselves. Hoyt and Novelli walked around with Chris, checking names and details off her list, Will came and stood by his dad and grinned. "Proud of you son" Roy told him quietly before hugging him slightly and slapping his back.

"Thanks dad" came Wills muffled reply. "Now, let's do this...I can't wait to get Houston and CJ home...do you think he will want me to be his Best Man?"


End file.
